McCain and the Bitter Conservatives

American Thinker ^ | June 15, 2008 | Andrew Sumereau

[neverdem]

John McCain is clearly the preferable option for conservative voters come November. Although liberal in his views toward immigration, government intrusion in free speech, environmental issues, campaign finance reform, health care, education mandates, and a host of other issues that run contrary to conservative orthodoxy, McCain is solid on two (alas, two) vital issues that make the difference; spending and judges. From the frustration of eight years of a Republican Administration that began with so much hope and promise it pains one to say it, but there it is.

Against the prospects of a President Obama, McCain wins.

A victim of circumstances and timing in many ways, Senator McCain carries the sins of Bush and the free-spending Republicans into the 2008 election minus any counter balancing virtues. The coming election has an eerie deja-vu feeling. The Democrat nominee is young, glib, dare one say it, slick; beloved by a media most happy to shield him from criticism. He is facing a cranky old Republican Senator with visible war wounds, famous for his temper, and viewed with apprehension by the religious right.

In addition, John McCain is detested, and deservedly so, by many Republicans of all types. Beyond issue and policy differences, and they are legion, his personality grates. His conceit of "straight-talk" and "maverick"-like independence so superficially applauded (up until now) by the mainstream media is almost Clintonesque in its narcissism. If only other politicians had his courage, he implies, things would be fixed straightaway. The big special interests have all the other elected officials in their pockets. Only Maverick-John tells it like it is! Yet the truth is that McCain could serve well as poster boy of the arrogant elitist beltway insider, friend of Hillary and Ted, foe of the unwashed. The party habit of selecting the next in line (e.g. Dole) has rarely produced such an unappealing candidate at such a critical time. In many ways he reminds one of Adlai Stevenson, who famously frustrated his supporters with his holier-than-thou ways during two failed contests against the popular broad-smiling Ike.

Despite what will surely be the focus of McCain's campaign, foreign policy and experience will not decide this election for conservative voters. One may point to the war in Iraq as the defining issue come November and see a big advantage for McCain. Not necessarily so. History will decide the wisdom of our foreign policy over the last seven years, whether the Iraq and Afghanistan invasions were a legitimate response to the threat of organized terror, or the overreaction of predisposed warriors intent on using the events of 9/11 to democratize the Middle East.

It is clear, in the short term that a McCain administration will cling to the ongoing military effort. He is a very sure bet on a continuation of aggressive and largely unilateral foreign policy. But unlike domestic issues, Presidents, as Truman said, "ride the Tiger" in foreign affairs.  They are controlled by events and often forced into moves at odds with their original intentions. Bush came into office as a critic of nation building and yet leaves committed to the rebuilding of Iraq. Johnson's Great Society fell victim to his own escalation of the Vietnam War. Clinton sent troops to Haiti. As Chief Executive of the federal branch they must protect our borders and command the military by constitutional decree. Democrats, even Carter, have found that once in office the requirements and prerogatives of military power seldom are resisted.

On domestic issues it is no better. He is with Kennedy on education and immigration, with Fiengold on campaign finance, with Gore on the environment. For the committed conservative, he speaks and acts as Bush-lite without the few rhetorical bones thrown in for appearance's sake. Each day, it seems, he appears to make a pronouncement, or suggest a policy, or chastise an enthusiastic supporter, in order to please the main-stream media and send conservatives off wailing and gnashing their teeth.   

So the question of the day is how can a candidate that turns off a large portion of his base, who will most certainly be put on the defensive by a biased media, who appears old and uncool to the great unlettered new generation of voters, succeed?

"Front Porch" campaigns put several Republicans in the White House starting with Abraham Lincoln. In the good old days Presidential candidates found it undignified and unbecoming to campaign for votes all over the country. They let their surrogates and followers go through the unending exercises so necessary yet so unseemly in the election process. Incessant bragging, boasting, and cajoling, voicing hypocritical platitudes, and bribing voters with empty promises and spending sprees in search of Utopia was not the stuff of our Founding Fathers. McCain would benefit from a restoration of this practice but in the age of 24/7 cable news and Internet blogs this is not practical.

McCain must recognize that he has some substantial advantages, chiefly his opponent's weaknesses. Also, conservatives, though unhappy, will do the right thing for the country if only through a sense of duty. Further, experience and genuine heroism are good to have on your resume.

But McCain also must recognize the depth of conservative despondency. He will not win by giving his base a reason to stay home. Unlike liberals, conservatives have lives and interests outside politics that serve as outlets for the impulse to do good and improve the world. And they are angry and demoralized, make no mistake.

For many voters and activists, thirty years of hard work in the conservative fields has produced a bitter harvest of uncontrolled spending, judicial legislation, preposterous congressional pork barrel earmarks, uncontrolled borders, and arrogance.

McCain is in a fight against the manufactured illusions of "hope" and history.  He needs every vote he can manage. Before he once again decides to berate conservatives, propose liberal policies, befriend the political opposition and (why?) laud the Clintons, he should perhaps better find a nice photogenic porch. Sit on the porch. Do this and conservatives on November 5^th will surely hold their noses and pull the lever for what is best for the country.

[DieHard the Hunter]

> Churchill wouldn’t have let England be swarmed under a flood of illegal immigrants.

He had his own moments of really arguable domestic performance — like the General Strike of 1926 and the Sidney St Seige and the Tonypandy Riot. And I’ve already mentioned the Dardanelles fiasco.

We don’t know what he would have done about the Mexican illegal alien situation because he was never put in that position.

We *do* know that he wasn’t the arch-Conservative Icon all of his political career that we’d like to think he was.

His performance during WW-II was certainly masterful. Before that, and after that, it was so-so, and sometimes pretty awful.

> Again, terrible analogy.

Time will tell. On McCain’s performance-to-date, it tracks along quite nicely with Churchill’s pre-WW-II performance. Both served, both were POWs, both had political careers, both straddled either side of Center, and both had wobbly bits that would infuriate the Conservatives...

...no, I’d say it’s a brilliant analogy. Could even prove to be Prophetic, depending on how McCain does if he is ever made POTUS.

You clearly disagree — I’d be curious to see how.

[singfreedom]

Everyone needs to mail or email the McCain campaign with their disgust of the algore speeches and McCain's other bonehead moves.

By golly, we may have to elect this turd but that does not mean we can't make his tenure as President a living Hell! He would do very well to remember that!

[singfreedom]

Email his campaign and tell them exactly that. Let them know you're pissed. I have, every day for the last 2 weeks. If they get enough grief, they'll change it. They want your vote.

[don-o]

Each day, it seems, he appears to make a pronouncement, or suggest a policy, or chastise an enthusiastic supporter, in order to please the main-stream media and send conservatives off wailing and gnashing their teeth.

McCain should suspend his campaign

[singfreedom]

Particularly if we stay on his back about all his stupid moves.

[Coldwater Creek]

I'm afraid, very afraid! Not sarcasm!

[tenthirteen]

Churchill did well with WWII, but before that he sucked. Just ask the Irish; Churchill tormented those people and literally split the country in two. The sectarian strife, still prevalent today, can be laid right at his feet.

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

Wrong.

McCain will not appoint originalist judges(unless by accident)

And he's not good on spending either.

McCain promises billions in new spending

I could take the tax part seriously if he didn't believe in huge tax increases via cap and trade.

[wireplay]

If you don’t seek you shall never find. there are lots of possibilities and high gas prices fuel the market (no pun intended).

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2017610/posts

[therut]

He is also 99% better than gun grabbing Obama. Just wait till Obama is President with the MSM behind him touting gun control He will make Bill Clinton seem pro-2nd amendment.

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

^^^^^^^^^^McCain is a betrayer. He has no principles. Churchill wouldn’t have let England be swarmed under a flood of illegal immigrants. Again, terrible analogy.^^^^^^^^^^^

McCain isn’t just a bystander. He didn’t just stand by and watch it happen; let it happen.

McCain lead the charge so that the flood would increase.

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2017610/posts

[Bernard]

He will not win by giving his base a reason to stay home.

Another author makes the mistake of confusing conservatives with John McCain's "base". The Senator's base is the 80% liberal media, and he would have to "woo" conservatives much the same way he will have to "woo" independents.

[BluH2o]

Each day, it seems, he appears to make a pronouncement, or suggest a policy, or chastise an enthusiastic supporter, in order to please the main-stream media ...

A few months month back a local Cincinnati radio personality was asked to fire up the audience at a McPain rally, just prior to McPain showing up. Bill Cunningham, the radio personality, had the temerity to mention Obama’s middle name Hussein, as in Barak Hussein Obama. McPain upon learning of this from his buddies in the liberal MSM immediately condemned what Cunningham had said ... as Cunningham put it, McPain thru me under the bus ... the straight talk express bus, now known, I believe, as the 'no surrender' bus.

[livius]

The party habit of selecting the next in line (e.g. Dole) has rarely produced such an unappealing candidate at such a critical time.

That sums it up.

[roamer_1]

If you don’t seek you shall never find. there are lots of possibilities and high gas prices fuel the market (no pun intended).

No, there are not 'lots of possibilities', there are nearly *none*. Nothing will take the place of petroleum products any time soon... at least for another generation.

[singfreedom]

I LOVE your analogy and do pray, earnestly, that it will come to pass. You have given me some hope.

[Rome2000]

He picks MYTH for VP and nothing will keep me from staying home.

[singfreedom]

I know, I am too, but we have to go forward. We can do that, we conservatives have done it before. We can do it again.

If McCain is elected, and I pray he is, we just have to let him know what we think. It is very hard for a President to ignore what the folks in his own party are telling him.